Roosters call up Giampaolo for match against Richmond

By
MELANIE WHELAN

ONBALLER Chris Giampaolo has been recalled for North Ballarat Roosters’ match with Richmond on Sunday.

ONBALLER Chris Giampaolo has been recalled for North Ballarat Roosters’ match with Richmond on Sunday.

Giampaolo steps up to the Victorian Football League to replace North Melbourne-listed Trent Dumont, who will be a standby emergency for the Kangaroos’ AFL game on Sunday evening.

Chris Giampaolo will play for the Roosters on Sunday's match against Richmond.

Selkirk Roosters coach Gerard FitzGerald said Giampaolo’s promotion highlighted great understanding from regional clubs like Redan, where Giampaolo had been starring, when a Rooster was plucked from their ranks after initial selections.

The Roosters expect to learn by Saturday afternoon whether they will retain Kangaroos-listed midfielder Ben Jacobs and defender Max Warren.

This puts further Roosters potentially on standby before club matches this weekend.

Midfielder Liam Anthony returns to the Roosters’ line-up but the Roosters will lose promoted Kangaroo Brad McKenzie in a straight swap.

Roosters captain Michael Searl remains a key inclusion after he was cleared to play after four weeks sidelined following surgery on a broken finger.

FitzGerald said there was a fair degree of emotion in facing the Tigers this week.

Roosters’ triple premiership ruckman Orren Stephenson will suit up against his former club for the first time in a home-and-away game and for the first time at Eureka Stadium since he was drafted to AFL ranks at the end of the 2011 season. Stephenson has only met the Roosters onfield once – in a practice match at Punt Road earlier this year.

“He’s such a legend of our football club and someone I hold in high personal esteem,” FitzGerald said. “There will be a fair degree of emotion to it but, at the same time, this is the professional industry we are working in.

“He will be out there to develop his game and push for AFL selection.

“(Roosters ruckman) Eric Wallace and his support ruckman have a key position to play, too.”

The Roosters are hunting for a sixth consecutive win to reinforce their top-eight footing.